Rick Porcello already working out at spring training facility

by Larry Hartstein | CBSSports.com

(2/5/15) New Red Sox pitcher Rick Porcello, acquired in a December trade, is already working out at the team's spring training facility in Fort Myers, Fla. Pitchers and catchers don't report for more than two weeks.

Porcello can be a free agent after this season but that's not his focus, reports MLB.com.

"Just getting off to a good start and locking in and having a good year is what's important," Porcello said recently. "Obviously the money is a huge benefit of playing this game, but for me, the most important thing is to make sure that I play well. I don't care how much money you make. If you're not playing well, and you're a competitive person, then you're not happy."

Porcello went 15-13 with a 3.43 ERA for the Tigers last season. "At the age of 26 and coming off of a 15-win season, Porcello could be positioned to have a big year for a team that, at least on paper, lacks a true ace," the report said.

Red Sox pitcher Rick Porcello not ready to sign extension

by Sean d'Oliveira | CBSSports.com

(1/24/15) Having just signed a one-year contract, which will be his last year of arbitration, Red Sox pitcher Rick Porcello said now is not the time to discuss signing a contract before he becomes a free agent afer the 2015 season, reports MassLive.com.

"I just got here and met the guys last night so I think it's premature for that," Porcello said. "I'm just trying to settle in and fit in with everybody, get to know the staff and the guys."

The Red Sox acquired Porcello in a trade with the Tigers in December and if he equals his 2014 season, when he went 15-13 with a 3.43 ERA, he could be in line for a big payday.

"It's always strange, at least for me, because growing up you play baseball because you love playing the sport," Porcello said. "And then the money start gets thrown around and obviously for somebody, from a personal financial standpoint, that's a big opportunity and big thing to look at. But for me, over the course of my career, no matter how much money I've made I'm not happy unless I'm playing well."

Porcello added that he will not let his next contract distract him from performing to the best of his ability in 2015.

"I think obviously the money is a huge benefit of playing this game. But for me the most important thing is playing well," he said. "I don't care how much money you've made if you're not playing well you're not happy, if you're a competitive person and care about it."

Report: Red Sox sign Rick Porcello, Junichi Tazawa

by R.J. White | CBSSports.com

(1/16/15) The Red Sox avoided arbitration with pitchers Rick Porcello and Junichi Tazawa by agreeing to one-year deals with each player Friday. Porcello will make $12.5 million in 2015, while Tazawa is set to earn $2.25 million, the Boston Herald reports.

Porcello, who is in his last year of arbitration eligibility, came to the Red Sox in a December trade after going 15-13 with a 3.43 ERA and 129:41 K:BB ratio in 204 2/3 innings with Detroit in 2014. Tazawa, who's in his second year of arbitration eligibility, posted a 2.86 ERA and 64:17 K:BB ratio in 63 innings last season.

Cespedes is in the final year of a four-year, $36 million contract, while Porcello is in his final year of arbitration.

The 29-year-old Cespedes has a .263 average, .464 slugging percentage and .780 OPS in 416 games over three MLB seasons. Porcello, who won a career-high 15 games and had a career-low 3.43 ERA in 2014, is 76-63 with a 4.30 ERA in six MLB seasons.

Wilson has a 2-1 record, 3.38 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in 44 relief outings for Boston. He had a 1.91 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 18 outings in 2014.

The 19-year-old Speier is 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 12 career appearances (eight starts) in the minors. He was a 19th-round pick in 2013.

03/03/2015 10:37Starting pitcher tiers for Draft Day 2015
With so much talent at the top of the pitching ranks, our Scott White had to re-think his overall strategy. Get a closer look with starting pitcher tiers for Draft Day.

2014 summary: Fantasy owners had been waiting for a Rick Porcello breakout for a few years, and it finally happened in his age-25 season. Porcello registered his first sub-3.50 ERA ever and his first sub-4.00 ERA in five years, but he didn't do it by missing more bats. Instead, Porcello tightened up his control and stranded more of his baserunners, resulting in a 3.43 ERA and 1.23 WHIP. He also pitched deeper into games, which allowed him to set career highs for innings pitched (204 2/3) and quality starts (21). Porcello will attempt to build on his progress with the Red Sox, to whom he was traded this offsesason.

Playing time status: Porcello has been durable over his six-year career, and now that he is more efficient, he has a chance to top 200 innings again in 2015 for the Red Sox.

2015 outlook: Last season, Porcello was a top 40 starter in points leagues, but a top 50 starter in Rotisserie leagues. Because innings and quality starts could be an important part of his value again this year, owners should expect a similar discrepancy in his value between formats. Either way, Porcello is an appropriate target in the middle-to-late rounds in standard mixed leagues.